CC BY
3556
TECHNICAL SCIENCES /
УДК 004.03
Sakenova Zh.Zh, Smagulova A.S.
Karaganda Tehnical University, Kazakstan DOI: 10.24412/2520-2480-2020-3284-56-58 INTRODUCTION OF AUGHMENTED REALITY TECHNOLOGIES TO MUSEUM EXPOSITIONS
Abstract
Tourism is becoming an important part of the development of modern society. Museums, as the most significant social institutions involved in the identification, preservation, study and popularization of heritage, are designed to adequately respond to the challenges of the times, become more attractive to tourists and participate in the development of the tourism business. The article is devoted to the issues of integrating augmented reality technologies into the museum space. Augmented reality technology is a relatively new industry for Kazakhstan. The correct application of these technologies allows you to solve several problems at once: convenient information on exhibits, detailed examination of exhibits, access to which is limited, virtual reconstruction of completely or partially lost works of art, etc. The use of such tools will allow organizing productive interaction of the viewer with museum expositions, as well as allowing museums to find a new wave of popularity among city residents and visitors. The direct experience of the development and implementation of augmented reality technologies in the Karaganda forced labor camp (abbreviated Karlag), which is one of the largest camps in the USSR, is examined.
In general, the relevance of the topic lies in the fact that developing an application using augmented reality technology to create an information museum makes it possible to actualize the importance of museums in the modern world.
Key words: Tourism, augmented reality, 3D-model, museums, modern civilization, heritage, exhibits.
The emergence of the information society, which forms a digital, virtual reality with specific social, cultural, consumer practices, has largely led to innovative processes in the field of tourism. The level of development of the information space in the modern world determines the main directions of innovation in various areas of society - socially political, economic.
The massive use of information technology in a dynamically changing world has become a necessary condition for the individual to participate in economic activity and the socio-cultural sphere. Changing the pace of life, the explosion of information, the transformation of the value system and the emergence of new standards of behavior, moral and ethical principles (sometimes substantially contradictory to the traditional ones), a new understanding of the quality of life, comfort and level of service make us look differently at one of the important components of human life - the sphere leisure time.
The specific characteristics of the information space are due to the variability of such processes in it as interaction in the process of joint activity, competition. The nature of geopolitical competition is changing most significantly in the information space because of the struggle for the possession of a more developed information resource, for the achievement of information superiority, which opens up better control over the competitor's information resource.
The purpose of the study is to analyse the modern development of information technologies in the tourism industry, to study the impact of virtual and augmented reality on the emergence of innovative tourism products and to consider the prospects for the development of a virtual information space.
Despite a significant number of works devoted to the study of the information space, little attention is paid in the economic literature to the formation of the
information environment in order to effectively promote and implement tourist services and destinations.
The development of information technology puts modern museums in harsh competition from new media. When fulfilling the task of preserving the cultural heritage, the museum ceases to be a platform for its popularization. If you believe the statistics provided by a group of scientists, only 16% of Kazakhstani citizens visit museums, 70% of Kazakhstanis do not know about museums and are not interested in them, the remaining 14% know about museums, but do not visit them [1].
This is most acute in small regional museums, the welfare of which directly depends on the number of visitors, since other sources of financing only help to stay afloat. Such museums, unlike large ones, do not have large resources at their disposal and, accordingly, are not able to attract a wide audience. To build their potential, they need new ways of presenting content. A superstructure, addition, presentation of exhibits in a new context, which would meet the requirements of the modern generation, focused on the active interaction of synformation, is required. In fact, a new interactive dialogue actualizes the role of the museum as a cultural and educational space that can become one of the ways to organize intellectual leisure. Therefore, to attract new visitors, many museums have to study the audience, use various advertising strategies and implement innovative technologies [2].
Currently, the most relevant technologies introduced in museums are augmented and virtual reality technologies. Despite the fact that these technologies are not new, they have not yet gained mass character, continuing to attract attention from various industries. Given the growing interest of consumers in augmented reality, its introduction into the museum environment can increase interest in museums and, accordingly, strengthen their cultural and educational
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function [3]. According to some researchers, it is augmented reality technologies that are a promising tool for the flexible adaptation of museums to modern realities [4].
Augmented reality is an effective tool to solve many problems of modern museums:
- Limited exposure. The fragility and decay of some exhibits, special conditions of preservation and positioning impose restrictions on the composition of the exposition. Augmented reality technologies allow you to view exhibits, access to which is limited, gain experience in interacting with exhibits that are not allowed to touch, disassemble them for details and examine the smallest details. The exhibit in the virtual space can be presented in any form in which the visitor wishes to see it.
- Dimensions of the exhibition space of the exposition. Most of the exhibits are in the archives of the museum and are not put on display by visitors due to the lack of necessary exhibition space. The virtual space has no limitations, so you can place the entire collection in it.
- Inaccessibility of some information. Often, some information about the exhibits is inaccessible to visitors, especially when visiting a museum without a guide. In virtual space, any useful information about it can be attached to the exhibit.
In addition, augmented reality technologies force a person to take any action while receiving information, bring interactive and expand the possibilities of working with museum exhibits. Thus, the visitor becomes an active participant and "co-author" of represented historical and cultural events. All this enhances the effect of immersion and helps to improve the perception of information, which has a positive effect on improving the cultural and educational functions of museums and attracting new visitors.
However, in addition to the positive effect, there are certain difficulties that accompany the process of integrating augmented reality technologies into the museum space:
- Distrust on the part of the administration of museums. Many museums are wary of introducing new technologies that have not yet been sufficiently tested. In addition, there are risks associated with the destruction of the museum's traditional ecosystem and, as a result, the development of negative attitudes among visitors.
- Lack of motivation for museum staff. If the question arises of introducing new technologies into museum walls, then there is a possibility of an additional burden for museum employees. At the same time, their salary rate remains the same.
- The presence of potential threats that may arise when implementing augmented reality technologies in the museum environment. This includes the destruction of the traditional museum environment, a complete change in the concept of museums in terms of the provision of information, satiation with information, especially in 3D.
- Inflicting certain damage to exhibits. For example, the exhibit fades due to the projector light
constantly directed at it, temperature increases in the exposition room, etc.
Naturally, these technologies can lead to negative consequences only with their illiterate use. The correct use of augmented reality and its introduction precisely into the cultural and educational museum environment will allow you to get aesthetic perception, new knowledge and education when visiting museums. Technology will stimulate the manifestation of independence, initiative and creativity [5].
With the obvious breadth of opportunities that augmented and virtual reality technologies provide, regional museums cannot afford such innovations because of their high cost. A low budget imposes certain restrictions on the choice of equipment used. In this case, the most accessible devices for displaying virtual and augmented reality content remain smartphones or tablets.
During the implementation of the project, the following stages can be distinguished.
The first stage: preparatory. This includes the collection of materials on the project, the definition of the objectives of the exhibition, in the solution of which augmented reality technologies can be used.
The second stage: the choice of means of implementation.
The third stage: implementation and testing.
Fourth stage: analysis of preliminary implementation results.
At the first stage, all materials of the exhibition were investigated: exhibits of the exhibition hall, unexposed exhibits, text materials and photographs related to the exposition, involved and unused equipment. The initial technological effectiveness of the exposure was revealed, namely: the presence of a site, an interactive screen, a projector, a monitor to simulate the movement of a train, audio support.
The following tasks were identified:
- attracting new visitors;
- expansion of the information space of the exposition;
- transformation of some exhibits in virtual space.
Augmented reality app for smartphones. To
implement this solution, it was planned to make some exhibits in augmented reality. The augmented reality content was supposed to be displayed inside the application after the camera's mobile device had read special markers prepared in advance and placed in the exhibition hall. This is a classic use case of augmented reality in a museum environment.
As part of the second decision, it was decided to digitize the following exhibits: wheeled and conventional plows, horizontal and vertical self-spinning wheels, potato potato. In addition to creating 3D models of these exhibits, it was decided to attach content in the form of photographs, videos and texts to them in augmented reality, as well as add to the application's content the stories of prisoners in Karlag who dreamed of freedom that the museum had.
The second stage is the selection of funds for the implementation of the plan. Solutions will be aimed at various platforms: the first - on the PC, the second - on smartphones and tablets. Based on my research, taking
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into account all the pros and cons, the Unity 3D programming environment was chosen for the project using the Wuforia package (for the second solution).
The correct use of augmented reality and its introduction precisely into the cultural and educational museum environment will allow you to receive aesthetic perception, new knowledge and education in a complex when visiting museums. Technology will stimulate the manifestation of independence, initiative and creativity.
Let's pay attention to an interesting fact: a person remembers 10% of the information he hears, remembers 20% of what he reads, remembers 80% of what he sees and does [6]. And if we say that a person remembers 80% of what he sees and does, then in this case two channels of information perception are combined: visual and kinesthetic. The secret to the effectiveness of interactive technology lies in the activation of visual and kinesthetic channels of perception.
In other words, augmented reality technologies force a person to perform any purposeful actions while receiving information. This greatly facilitates the transfer and assimilation of information. That is why in the modern museum space it becomes very important the process of mastering and applying interactive technologies in the expositions - augmented reality - since with it the possibilities for working with museum expositions are unlimitedly expanded [7].
In other words, augmented reality technologies force a person to perform any purposeful actions while receiving information. This greatly facilitates the transfer and assimilation of information. That is why in the modern museum space it becomes very important the process of mastering and applying interactive technologies in the expositions - augmented reality - since with it the possibilities for working with museum expositions are unlimitedly expanded.
Augmented reality in a museum environment could solve several problems at once. This includes the possibility of a comprehensive examination of the exhibits without taking them out of context, the possibility of creating a context, achieving maximum communication between the exhibit and the visitor, the possibility of introducing interactivity, as well as the likelihood of quick changes to the exposition in accordance with the theme of the museum events. Augmented reality in the museum - great opportunities in a small
space. Given the growing interest of consumers in augmented reality, its introduction into the museum environment can increase interest in museums and, accordingly, improve their cultural and educational function.
Therefore, it can be concluded that museums using elements of augmented reality help to attract more attention of visitors compared to traditional museums, since these museums stand out from thousands of ordinary ones, deeply engage the audience in the problem and become interactive.
References
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